The Varia, My Happiness, and Somehow Home
by eeveepkmnfan
Summary: Tsunayoshi was unwanted, unloved, and alone. Well, until he had a run in with the Varia..."So you're saying that you stole his wallet, weapons, and his left shoe?" Tsuna crossed his arms over his chest and puffed out his cheeks. "The shoe was an accident, actually." A few eyebrows were raised at this. "Oh, really?" Tsuna's destiny wasn't to be Vongola Decimo. Summary inside.
1. Sky's Happiness

Summary: Sawada Tsunayoshi wasn't destined to be the Decimo of the Vongola. He was destined to be unwanted, unloved, and alone. At least that was what he told himself. But his life of stealing and living on the streets is disrupted when one day he steals from the wrong person. Who knew that one supposedly simple act would completely change the Varia, and in turn, the Vongola? Sawada Tsunayoshi's destiny may have started out empty and colorless, but soon he will get the one thing he's secretly always wanted more than anything. A family.

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Sawada Tsunayoshi didn't have an easy life. From the very start, he had been discarded by his parents at an orphanage. Tsuna couldn't remember his mother or father and the orphanage didn't know their names. He was just another orphan like the rest of the children, even if he did have his quirks.

Like when someone called his name. He would scrunch his nose up and his eyes would narrow as if he had smelt something particularly unpleasant. Sometimes one of the caretakers would ask why, but all he would say is, "I hate that name." If they would then ask if he would prefer a nickname, he oddly always replied with a no. Eventually they stopped asking.

Or when two of the older children kissed or held hands in front of him. He would take out a book and distance himself from everyone nearby or even leave the room. If he didn't have a book with him, he would instead take out a rather thin, ratty old notebook and start writing in it. No one knew where he had gotten the notebook or what he was writing.

Another oddity of his was how averse he was to socializing. He would be around everyone but he was always so distant and brushed off any who attempted to reach him. In class, instead of paying attention to the lesson or passing notes like others, he instead gazed at the sky with such an intense emotion in his eyes.

Everyone noted that Tsunayoshi was strange. Coupled with the fact that he didn't want friends made everyone whisper about him as he walked down the halls. _"Strange,"_ they would remark as he passed by them. _"I wouldn't want to be his friend, would you?" _He would continue on his way as if he never heard them. _"Tsunayohsi's so weird! What do you think is wrong with him?" _His bangs would shadow his eyes as he tried to ignore them. But the truth was that he couldn't ignore them. Tsunayoshi heard everything. While he acted indifferent, his heart was stinging. Even if he didn't want any friends and even if he didn't want to be affected, his heart still got hurt nonetheless.

So he set up barriers around his heart, hoping to never be hurt again. But with a casual remark or two, a snide comment here and there, his defenses sometimes failed. And then his heart took the brunt of it. _'Am I really so strange?'_ he would ask himself. _'Is there really something wrong with me?' _Tsunayoshi would ponder such thoughts well into the night.

And when he went to sleep, he dreamed of such odd things. He would always hear his name being called by such a hateful voice. It felt like something bad and good at the same time. He never knew what to think of it. It left him feeling anxious when he woke up. And other times his dreams were full of the color red. It wasn't blood, he knew. But he still couldn't make sense of it.

There were also times when he was awake when he was hit with the feeling that something was going to happen. Throughout his life, he'd trusted his instincts, and they'd never lead him wrong. He was left feeling very wary and uneasy of what was to come.

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Tsunayoshi woke up that morning and _knew_ that that day was the start of whatever his instincts had been warning him of. He just hoped that nothing too terrible came of it.

_He should have known better to think too positively. Thinking back, he's certain that it all started with a question one of the caretakers asked him. It just took one question to begin his new life, one that would soon lead him to somewhere he thought he'd never be. Home. _

"Are you happy here?" Tsunayoshi started at the caretaker in slight surprise at the question. The woman just curiously stared right back, patiently waiting for the answer.

No one had ever asked Tsunayoshi something like that before. It was always, "Why don't you have any friends?" or "Where did you get that notebook of yours?" and sometimes even, "What do you write in it?" Never before had a question like this one come up.

But maybe it was because this caretaker was new. Tsunayoshi hadn't seen her before now. So thoughtful of her question, he didn't even see the nameplate on her uniform.

_'Am I happy here?'_ He, for some reason, thought more on this question than any other he'd been asked before. _'I have no friends. I have few hobbies. I don't like this place. I don't like the people. I don't like the classes. Everyone whispers about me. My bed is uncomfortable. I've read all the books. I'm running out of space in my notebook. I have no attachments. Nobody particularly likes me. My shoes are coming apart. I need a jacket. I'm interested in learning how to defend myself. I want to see the world someday.'_

Once he was finished thinking he answered her, "No. I'm not happy here." His caramel eyes watched as she smiled sadly at him. Her pink lips parted and she said, "Then maybe you should find someplace where you are." And then, before he could say anything more, she walked off, probably to do her job.

For the second time that day, Tsunayoshi was shocked by this woman. But after his shock came more thinking. He thought carefully all day on what she had said, and his own response. After thinking through even dinnertime, he made up his mind. After dinner, he walked quietly to his room and packed a bag that contained everything he owned. His notebook, a few pencils, some broken crayons, a pair of pajamas, the seldom number of books that were his, and about fifty dollars, counting change.

Grabbing his bag, he lifted it up one shoulder and set to sneaking out of the building. It was easy. In about thirty minutes, he was already past the gates and running. It took twenty more minutes to make it to the edge of the forest. By then, Tsunayoshi was out of sight, never to return. No one would notice he was gone until later that night, as the very woman who had questioned him knocked on his door and found no one inside. That same woman just smiled a bit, and prayed for his safety, even as she told the staff that the orphanage was one boy short.

The rumors would fly the next few days between staff and children alike, and some were actually true, while others were definitely not. The orphanage was abuzz with whispers, all about Sawada Tsunayoshi, none knowing exactly where he was or where he was headed. And while talk flew, no one really knew just how far reaching it was. As children passed on the rumors and their own opinions, so would the staff, to even family members and friends. And as they found it interesting and worried about the boy, they in turn passed it on even further, until it eventually came to rest on the ears of Sawada Nana, Sawada Iemitsu, and Sawada Natsu.

Tsunayoshi just kept on running, set on finding his happiness, even if he didn't know where exactly it was.

And somewhere far, far away, specifically somewhere in Italy, the Varia continued with their regular routine, completely unaware that it was soon going to change drastically in a very unexpected way.

In a cafe somewhere, a baby wearing a fedora drank his espresso and smirked to himself, feeling that everything was going to be getting so much more interesting.

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**(A/N): **Thanks for reading! I'd really appreciate some feedback, if you don't mind. I'd love to know how you like this so far. And don't feel shy about leaving me suggestions or criticism. I'm always open to it. :) Anyway, this is just the prologue, so chapter one is probably going to be a little timeskip to where things are actually getting going. I'm still uncertain on how long the timeskip should be, though. At first I was going to go for a few years, but now it sounds like things are going to get shaken up rather quickly...o.o If you want more, you just have to tell me in a review, and I'll try to write a chapter as fast as I can. There's nothing like a fresh review to get my muse going. :D Oh, and I actually haven't read the manga or watched the anime, I've only read fanfiction, so please bear with me. I'm going to try to read the manga, though. And maybe watch a few episodes of the anime, just so I really get the characters. Anyway, sorry for any grammar or spelling mistakes, I don't have a beta, so feel free point out any mistakes I made and I'll try my hardest to fix them. Thanks again for reading, and I'm sorry for such a long author's note! :)


	2. Sky's Emotions

_Timeskip: A few months later..._

Tsunayoshi's life now consisted of stealing and sleeping in parks. Sometimes it was hard and other times he got frustrated, but he never regretted it. He had promised himself that he would find his happiness, and he would. He just didn't know when. Little did he know, today was going to be the trigger for that happiness...

Tsunayoshi had a smirk on his face despite being chased by the very man he had just stolen from. This was one of the few times he had been caught by his target. He loved this feeling, this adrenaline! Nothing could match it.

"Get back here, you punk!" The man yelled out, panting between breaths. It was obvious he wasn't in very good shape. But Tsunayoshi just laughed, running even faster towards a tree in front of them.

_'Here I go!' _Tsunayoshi jumped over a trash can as he grabbed hold of a branch and pulled himself up. The man just crashed into the garbage, having been shocked at his display. But the man didn't waste any time and quickly pulled himself back up, resuming the chase.

"Hahaha! That's right, try and catch me!" Tsunayoshi shouted as he leaped from tree to tree, eventually jumping back onto the ground when he saw the crowed street. He sprinted and disappeared into a back alley. By the time the man had arrived, he was already long gone. The man cursed and punched the brick wall of the alley. "Damn it, I was supposed to get food for Xanxus-sama! Now what am I going to bring back!" Meanwhile, across the street, a baby wearing a fedora sat on the roof of a shop, observing the man through binoculars.

"Hm? I wonder who that boy was." A chameleon that perched on his head just flicked out his tongue. "Interesting. Maybe something will come of this. After all, not just anybody can say they've accidentally stolen someone's left shoe. And this feeling I get when I look at him..."

The hitman would have liked to investigate that boy more, but as fate would have it, he had received a mission from the Ninth himself. To make Sawada Natsu into a respectable mafia boss. Well, if he couldn't find out more about that boy, why not take it out on his new student? Yes, Reborn was going to enjoy this.

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_Timeskip: Night time..._

"Trash! Where is my food!" An intimidating red eyed man barked at a subordinate, who was currently sweating buckets.

"I-I'm so sorry, Xanxus-sama! A boy stole all my money, took my weapons, and made off with my left shoe! Please forgive me!" The man bowed low, fearing for his life.

"Some trash stole from you!? How the fuck did that happen! Trash, you're in the Varia, and now you're telling me that some trash managed to get away from you!? Pathetic!" The man rose from his seat and the man in front of him was killed swiftly and without a thought.

"Ushishishi! It seems as if the peasant met quite an unfortunate end..." A blonde chuckled, sharpening one of his knives.

"VOOOI! Now what? We're out of food, and obviously can't trust a subordinate to get the job done!"

A silver haired swordsman exclaimed loudly, irritation present on his face.

"Hmph, idiot deserved to die for failing Xanxus-sama," a man with piercings on his face muttered. His arms were crossed over his chest and scorn filled his eyes.

"Trash! Shut up!" The previous scarred man spoke up, anger marring his face. Instantly, everyone quieted, silence taking control of the room.

"Since I can't trust the trash to do this right, we're all going out to get food! Now go get the others!" He commanded, glaring at everyone.

"Yes, Xanxus-sama!" The man with piercings replied, his face serious, but his eyes alight with joy.

"Ushishishi, the prince supposes he can honor your request." The man who wore a crown grinned.

"VOI! I'll go get the others!" Long silver colored tresses danced in the air as he sped out of the room.

"Hmph, trash." Xanxus muttered, rolling his eyes.

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Meanwhile, Tsunayoshi was looking at a shoe with contempt. _'Argh! Somehow I always end up with someone's left shoe whenever I steal something! It's outrageous!' _He threw the shoe behind him, not looking where it ended up. A "VOI!" was all that he had time to hear before he flipped over a sword, narrowly missing it by inches. He looked up and was surprised to find pure silver hair. "Who are you?" He questioned curiously, as if his life wasn't in danger.

Before the swordsman could reply, a sinister laugh was heard, and he turned around to face a knife at his throat. "Ushishishi, the prince doesn't have to answer." However, Tsunayoshi's eyes lit up, and he smiled up at the man. "You're a prince!? That's so cool!" Tsunayoshi could see the man's mouth twitch, as if he were surprised.

"Ushishishi, the peasant is correct. I am a prince." He tipped his crown at Tsunayoshi, who smiled again.

"VOOI! Enough talking, let me kill you!" Tsunayoshi just turned around and grinned at the swordsman, who was stunned by the expression. There was contentment and wonder in those eyes. It was something he'd never seen before.

"Oh, and you're a knight, right? That's cool, too! Your sword is awesome!" The boy's tone was light and innocent, as if he really believed what he said.

And that is how Tsunayoshi came to befriend two members of the Varia. They spent a long time just talking and laughing together. The two introduced themselves as Belphegor and Superbi Squalo. Tsunayoshi told them that he hated his name, and didn't want them to know it. They suggested he tell them a nickname he'd like to go by. "Tsuna," he had said. And Tsuna he became.

Bel and Squalo were both shocked at how innocent Tsuna was, believing that knights and princesses and dragons actually existed. But they found it endearing at the same time.

They were also stunned at how he accepted them with open arms, as if they hadn't just tried to kill him. When they asked, all he had said was, "Well, you were strangers then, right? But now you're my friends!"

Bel and Squalo came to know that Tsuna loved fairytales, and read them whenever he could. His favorite color was a violet blue, and his favorite number was seventy-two. He loved to write fantasy stories and also loved to draw.

In turn, Tsuna learned that Bel's favorite color was a royal purple, and Squalo's was green. They both loved to fight and were both horrible at cooking. Squalo was from Italy, while Bel was from a faraway kingdom. Bel liked gardening and Squalo was talented at playing the flute.

Eventually the two wanted to know more about Tsuna, and in turn came to learn of the orphanage, his new found life, and the shoe he had stolen from a man just hours ago. Tsuna had laughed at the look on the two's faces. After looking at Tsuna, they chuckled a bit.

After divulging his tale, Tsuna came to learn that the man he had stolen from had worked for their boss. Tsuna had sheepishly apologized. They had just chuckled at him.

As time flew by, the two had to leave. They were all reluctant to part, especially after such a fun time, so Tsuna asked one question that was sure to change everything.

"Can I go with you?"

Bel just laughed, and Squalo loudly exclaimed, "VOOOI! Hell yeah!"

As Tsuna traveled with them, he couldn't help but think of how odd his day had been. _'First I steal another guy's shoe and then make my very first friends. Then I ask to go with them to meet their boss that I basically stole from. Hm, I wonder if he'd want the shoe back?'_

All that Tsuna knew was that his heart was thumping wildly, and he felt something warm flow through him. For some reason, he felt his eyes start to water. He quietly wondered to himself if this was what happiness felt like.

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_**(A/N): **Let me just say that I was blown away_ by the sheer number of favorites and follows, not to mention the reviews! I did not expect this story to do so well in just _one day_! I just want to thank everyone that did, and everyone that didn't but still stuck around. :) Since I got such an overwhelming response, I decided to get off my lazy butt and write the first chapter earlier than I thought I would. Oh, and Secretly DayDreaming, thank you for mentioning that I misspelled Tsuna's name. It should be fixed by now. And yes, Lunakatsuma, Tsuna does have Hyper Intuition. He doesn't know it and it isn't fully honed yet, but it's still there. Tsuna has just always treated it as his instincts. Very good instincts, but he's not suspicious of it. And scarlet rose white, thank you for your opinion on the timeskip! I was kind of worried about it, and I really appreciate your feedback. Lost Innocent, thanks for telling me about the mistakes. I'm trying to find someone to proofread for me. Anyway, I hope this chapter wasn't too bad and I hope you liked it. Thanks again to anyone else who read this story!


	3. Sky's Nickname

Bel and Squalo's place was much bigger than Tsuna had expected. No, seriously, it was huge. He curiously wondered just why it was so big. Who would need that much room?

Tsuna was excited. His caramel eyes glinted and his mouth formed a small smile. That big place sure looked like a castle, to him. And that made it even more exhilarating. He had always wanted to see a real castle. _'Maybe I'll even get to see a dragon, or maybe the king?'_

"Ushishishi, little fox, the prince declares we are here." Bel's voice sounded next to him and he jumped, his thoughts of fantasy effectively stopped.

_'Huh, wait!' _"Bel, I'm not a fox!" He spun around and stuck out his tongue at the assassin, hands on his hips.

"VOOOI! If you think about it, you are like a fox, yeah? VOI! You steal from people, sleep in trees, are fast on your feet, and you're good at deceiving people." _'VOI! Plus you're adorable! VOOOI!'_

"Really? Well, I guess if you put it that way..." _'But still, what an odd nickname...'_ Tsuna smiled. _'Hm, I guess I'll keep it. After all, it's a present from my friends. Friends...Why does my chest tighten when I think about Bel and Squalo being my friends?...Is that happiness, too?' _

So lost in thought, Tsuna didn't hear his two friends' conversation.

"The prince is eagerly anticipating the meeting between the peasants and the little fox, Ushishishishi!" Belphegor smirked, his hand going up to his head and straightening his crown.

Squalo grinned, "VOI! I wonder how everyone will react?" Silver hair swayed in the breeze as the group went farther and farther towards the Varia headquarters.

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When Tsuna met everyone, the first thing he did was ask Xanxus if he politely wanted his underling's shoe back. Everyone kind of looked at him oddly, except Bel and Squalo, who just roared with laughter.

"How dare you disrespect Xanxus-sama, you trash!" And before anybody could do anything else, Levi was there, and was that electricity Tsuna saw?

"Wow! I've never seen someone use electricity like that before, are you a magician? That's nice!" While Levi's irritation rose and he attacked even more furiously, Tsuna just fluidly dodged all attacks, trusting his instincts as he worked together with them. When it seemed that Levi had no intention of stopping, Tsuna decided to make him stop.

Tsuna smirked as he back flipped in mid air, and as he came down he swung his leg straight down, onto Levi's head. A hand tried to grab his leg, but he gave it no chance, quickly spinning and and smashing his other leg across Levi's face.

His instincts flared to life, and he narrowly dodged a crackling sword like weapon. Before any more of them could get close to him, he swiftly sprinted and raked his nails across the man's face. Levi roared in rage, and as Tsuna's instincts to get out of there and move, he saw Levi's lightning projectiles coming at him. _'No time to dodge!' _Tsuna's eyes stayed wide open as he gazed at his death. His heart was beating so loudly he wondered if anyone else could hear it. It seemed as if time had slowed down, he could see it coming at him, ever so slowly, but he couldn't move. He was struck still.

But suddenly a knife came out of nowhere and deflected the weapon coated with lightning. Time went back to normal, and he now realized that the knife came from Bel.

"Ushishishi, Volpacchiotto should be more careful." Bel grinned at Tsuna, who's heart was still calming down to notice the new nickname.

Tsuna smiled widely, and he ran over and hugged Belphegor. "Thank you, Bel!" Tsuna looked up and saw that Bel's mouth twitched, which Tsuna had figured either meant he was happy or shocked. Tsuna grinned and squeezed tighter. If his friend wasn't used to hugs, then didn't that mean he needed some? Tsuna certainly thought it made sense.

But the rest of the Varia members all were surprised at how Bel didn't kill the boy for daring to touch him. Instead, he just gently pried him off and 'Ushishishi'd. Which was rather remarkable, as they'd never seen someone be able to do that to Bel. They all briefly wondered just who that boy was.

"Oh, here's that shoe I was talking about!" He dug around in his bag and pulled it out, offering it to Xanxus, who already regretted waking up that morning.

"Hmph, I don't need that trash's shoe, scum!" They all noticed how Tsuna didn't seem to be offended. How peculiar.

All the warning Xanxus got were Tsuna's eyes sparkling, and the flowers that seemed to be floating around in the air.

"You're the king!? Wow! But does that mean...?" He trailed off as he looked from Bel to Xanxus.

Xanxus felt his irritation rising. He had to wake up this morning, deal with the usual trash, and then had to go without breakfast or lunch, then when he sends some trash out to get food, the trash comes back empty handed. And now there's this scum, who has flowers growing out of his ears, saying he's some kind of king? He felt like punching someone. Repeatably. But as Tsuna's sparkling eyes gazed at him, he was unnerved as he felt something in that look strike a chord in him. So he responded the only way he could.

"Yeah, trash, I'm the king. Hmph!" Xanxus glared as if daring someone to say anything. The Varia members were all trying to make sense of the situation, and was it just them, or had the atmosphere lightened? Where before it used to be tense and heavy, now it was light and airy. Like a breeze running through the sky.

Tsuna laughed, a pure and innocent laugh that made everyone stop breathing for a second. His laughter was like the playful wind racing through a valley. His eyes lit up, looking for all the world like gleaming stars. And as he looked at everyone present with those eyes, those eyes that looked as if they had seen a lot, yet come out remaining the same, they knew things were going to change. They all felt it, like a spark igniting, reaching higher and higher as it burned. Somehow they didn't mind.

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Tsuna stayed for a long time, even if it seemed only a short while. The Varia all learned the story of how Tsuna got the shoe...

"So you're saying that you stole his wallet, weapons, and his left shoe?" Levi asked, face streaked with exasperation.

Tsuna crossed his arms over his chest and puffed out his cheeks. "The shoe was an accident, actually." He glared at everyone as if daring them to say something. A few eyebrows were raised at this.

Unfortunately, someone did say something. "Oh, really?" The speaker was actually Xanxus.

Tsuna glared even harder. Everyone thought he looked like a chipmunk with his cheeks out like that. "Yes, really. Every time I steal from someone, I somehow always end up with their shoe...I don't know really know why..."

Levi face palmed while the rest sweat dropped.

The Varia also learned of Tsuna's life in the orphanage. The atmosphere quickly dropped and became gloomy. Bel had sharply grinned, all the while sharpening his knives. Squalo had scowled, and became quiet. Xanxus's glare had narrowed, while Mammon stopped counting his money and focused on Tsuna. Apparently what he found there satisfied him, as he went back to counting. Lussuria had wailed on and on about his 'poor little Tsu-chan', while Levi just frowned.

The Varia all reacted unconsciously. In fact, they didn't even notice. The only one who did was Tsuna, who smiled widely. When Mammon asked just why he was so happy, Tsuna replied, "Well, my time at the orphanage may been sad, but right now I'm happy, see?" The atmosphere had gone back to normal, and everyone had started talking again.

Tsuna had unknowingly charmed the members of the Varia. Even the king. All that the Varia knew was that Tsuna could brighten up a room, and that they liked seeing that smile and those eyes light up.

Between a blood thirsty prince, a loyal lightning-wielding subordinate, a loud and eager to battle swordsman, a feminine man who insisted Tsuna call him 'Lussuria-nee', a money hungry baby who was prominent with illusions, and the king of the Varia himself, who was quick to anger and even quicker to kill someone, Tsuna had an interesting group of friends. But they were his friends. Even if some of them didn't know it yet.

For the first time in a long time, the Varia headquarters were full of laughter. Well, plus the usual chaos, of course.

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**(A/N): **Let me just say that once again, I was amazed by the amount of people who favorite, followed, reviewed, and just read this story. Every time I check my inbox, there is a flood of little emails, and I feel like I just ate a cupcake whenever I see that. Seriously, thank you so much guys! :) And again, I want there to be a pairing, so if anyone wants to suggest something? Or maybe you guys don't want a pairing? Give me your opinion. Oh, and the new nickname Bel-chan gave Tsuna? It means fox cub. In case you were wondering or were too lazy (like me) to look it up. Anyway, thanks for reading!


	4. Sky's Mischief

Tsuna had been staying with the Varia for a few weeks. In this sort period of time, it seemed he had charmed even the guards and other subordinates. The Varia headquarters had been running more smoothly as well, as a result of Tsuna stepping in swiftly to resolve conflicts. The Varia even got along a little better with each other. When Tsuna was around, that is. The Varia was changing, little by little, and Tsuna was oblivious to this, just enjoying playing pranks on everyone, running around dodging any hands trying to grab him (when they could see him, usually he was fast to be somewhere else), and hanging out with all of the Varia.

"Ehhh! I. Can't. Reach!" Tsuna jumped, trying with all his might to get the book on the highest shelf. His hand was just short of reaching it when he stood on his tiptoes.

"Ah!" He stumbled as he accidentally tripped over a stray book he had put aside earlier. His hands flew everywhere, trying to find leverage, as his caramel eyes widened.

"Tsuna, you should be more careful." He felt a hand steadying him, and he turned around and smiled.

"Thanks for catching me, Mammon!" Honey eyes shone bright, and no matter how many times the illusionist saw them, they somehow always caught him off guard. Although he did a great job of not showing it, as his face lacked expression.

"Oh, right! Mammon, could you please help me reach that book?" Tsuna pointed to it, sticking his tongue out and glaring at it when he thought Mammon wasn't looking.

Mammon sighed. "How much would you be willing to pay?" And as the other grinned at him, he knew he had made the wrong choice of waking up early this morning.

"I'll pay you in hugs!" And then Tsuna hugged him, that cursed speed of his certainly not hindering him. _'Why do I put up with this?' _Mammon thought to himself. But as he glanced at Tsuna, whose smile seemed like it was lighting up the whole room, he inwardly sighed. _'Damn Bel and Squalo for bringing him here. Another mouth to feed and someone who never spends money, even if he has it.' _

But Mammon was already handing him the book, and Tsuna was sweeping up into a hug again. "Thank you, Mammon!" When Tsuna looked up from his book, the baby had already disappeared. Tsuna still smiled at the spot where Mammon had been.

_'I'm glad I got to hug him. Mammon seems like he needs a lot of hugs. Well, I'll just have to hug him everyday! Maybe I'll get him to smile, who knows?' _ Tsuna turned his attention to a big book full of fairytales and grinned. He tucked it under his arm and left the room, intent on finding the perfect spot to read.

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On the way back, he had run into Lussuria and Bel, who had both invited themselves to join him. It wasn't like he minded, the two were his friends after all, but today he had kind of wanted to just read by himself, maybe draw a few dragons. So how had it come to this?

"I, the great knight Lussuria, will not allow the evil Bel to claim princess Tsu-Tsu for himself!" Lussuria thrust a wooden sword toward the figure of Belphegor, while standing in front of Tsuna, who was wearing Bel's crown, for lack of anything else suitable for a princess to wear.

Lussuria was playing the part of knight to his kingdom, Bel somehow got stuck with the role of evil sorcerer, and Tsuna (by a unanimous two votes) was the princess.

"Ushishishi, the prince will steal the princess away!" He wiggled his fingers in what was probably supposed to be a threatening manner, his face shadowed by a black hood they had found laying around.

"Um, guys, we've been playing this for hours. Don't you think we should go inside and have dinner?" Tsuna looked from Bel to Lussuria, hoping this would end. Besides, who would want to be a princess?

"Don't worry, princess! I, Lussuria, will not fail in protecting you!" Lussuria forced Tsuna behind a nearby tree.

"Did you think the princess is safe here from a sorcerer? Ushishishishi!" Bel appeared behind Tsuna, grabbing him.

As the act continued on, Tsuna inwardly grumbled. This had been going on for hours! Who knew that these two would get so into it? Actually, what exactly did that say about them...?

_'Urgh! I've had enough of this! I'm tired, the game should have ended hours ago! Well, Bel and Lussuria-nee will just have to deal with it! Hmph!' _Inwardly he smirked, loving what he was just about to do.

Tsuna glared softly as he gently put Bel's crown back on him and faced the other two. "Bel, Lussuria-nee, I'm so hungry..." He forced water into his eyes, thinking of a dead puppy he had seen last week, and formed the biggest puppy dog eyes he had in his arsenal. He stuck his lower lip out and pouted. He looked at the two, mentally laughing at the faces the two pulled as they looked at him. They both looked as if they had seen a poor defenseless kitten in the streets, taken it home, bonded with it, loved it, and then it had sadly died from old age. It was as if he was that kitten.

"Ushishishi, the prince demands sustenance." Bel looked the other way, hoping to be spared the deadly cuteness.

Lussuria gulped and weakly offered, "That sounds wonderful. Come to think of it, I am kind of hungry."

Tsuna smiled innocently as they finally went in to eat dinner. _'Hm, that was fun.' _

Bel and Lussuria looked at each other and then at Tsuna, who was in front of them, both vowing to never get in the way of Tsuna and his food ever again.

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A few minutes earlier, where the Varia was seated...

"Hmph, where are those scum?" Xanxus muttered to himself as he drummed his fingers on the table, looking very annoyed.

"They're probably somewhere with Tsuna, no doubt causing some form of trouble," Mammon replied, sounding bored.

"VOOOI! I hope Tsuna gets here soon, I'm hungry!" Squalo yelled, apparently having no concern for either Bel or Lussuria.

The minutes ticked away slowly as Xanxus grew more and more irritated. Just as he was about to eat anyway, everyone there or not, everyone saw the missing persons trickle in.

"Sorry for the wait, everyone!" Tsuna smiled, going to sit across from Xanxus, which was where he usually sat. No one really noticed the spark of mischief in the boy's eyes, they just grumbled, finally glad to be able to eat.

"Just where were you, trash!?" Tsuna looked to Xanxus and smiled. "Oh, we were just playing a game and got a little carried away...Right, Bel? Lussuria-nee?" He looked at the two, the smile on his face that was now a smirk telling them how much fun he was having.

They both just looked at Tsuna and weakly chuckled, mumbling out something that sounded vaguely like a yes. Tsuna turned back to Xanxus and smiled innocently, "Would you like to play sometime, King?"

Bel and Lussuria almost choked on their drinks. They tried to act normally and hoped no one had noticed, but by the look Xanxus sent them, they had failed.

_'Sly little Volpacchiotto!' _

"Anyway, thanks for today, Bel, Lussuria-nee, I had lots of fun! Let's play again sometime, okay?" Tsuna smiled, and this time the mischief was absent. And as dinner went on, and the smile stayed on Tsuna's face, everyone had similar thoughts of wanting to keep that smile around.

Tsuna laughed at a joke someone had made, and babbled something in response that was apparently funny, because everyone chuckled.

_'I think that the Varia has become somewhere I can call home...It's such a wonderful feeling, being with everyone, and belonging. They're all taking care of me, so I promise to do the same. I'll protect everyone no matter what. I don't care if they're in the mafia, or if they kill people, or do dangerous things. I'll just have to make sure to be with them, every step of the way.' _

As Tsuna left the kitchen after thanking the chef for making such a delicious dinner, he idly noticed how beautiful the sky was tonight.

After saying a goodnight to everyone, and settling in his fluffy bed, he fell asleep wishing that he could stay with everyone forever. A breeze ruffled his hair, but he was already asleep, a smile on his face.

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**(A/N): **Lost Innocent wanted to know how old Tsuna was. I was thinking about thirteen or fourteen? Well, that's how I picture him. Oh, and the reason why Tsuna is so innocent is because he grew up in an orphanage and didn't have contact with anyone outside the orphanage. Plus, he had no friends and he hardly ever talked to anybody. So basically, all he knows came from books and the occasional lesson at school when he was paying attention. Since everyone avoided him, even most of the staff, he doesn't have a very good idea of how things work or how he should act. So he just tries to be himself and wants to make friends, no matter who they are. Which can be an advantage and a disadvantage. He befriended the Varia, but that doesn't mean that everyone he comes across will want to be friends. He doesn't really know this, and he will still try to be friends with them, but if they go too far and hurt something precious to him, he'll know when to get serious. Oh, and I made him really fast on his feet because I thought that as a thief, he'd have to be running away a lot, plus he'd have to be pretty flexible in order to escape some smarter targets. And let's just say that him knowing how to fight is a combination of his hyper intuition and actually picking up a little from observation. He doesn't know much, but he knows enough. Sorry for such a long author's note!


	5. Sky's Brother

"Ciaossu." A baby wearing a fedora was supposed to be his home tutor!?

Sawada Natsu really wished he had just stayed in bed.

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"Why are you following me?" Natsu sighed, staring in exasperation at the baby in the tree behind him.

Reborn jumped out, landing beside Natsu. "I'm observing your everyday life."

_'Argh! This is too weird! First I get a baby for a tutor and then I'm supposed to believe that I'm next in line to be a mafia boss!? Why couldn't my life stay normal?' _

Reborn kicked him in the head, and he went flying. "Do you want to be late?"

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Reborn had observed his student that day. And was kind of disappointed with how average Sawada Natsu was. He had B's and the occasional A for his grades, he had a few good friends, he played baseball, but that was the only thing even remotely interesting about him. Well, besides his natural reflexes and how he had known Reborn was tailing him that morning. Granted, he hadn't exactly been hiding per say, but still. Now that was interesting. Maybe Hyper Intuition was showing itself early? That, or perhaps enhanced sight?

Reborn didn't really know how to feel about his student. Sawada Natsu was just so pathetically average. He would never be acknowledged as a mafia boss if he didn't stand out somehow.

Reborn pulled his fedora down, effectively shadowing his eyes. _'And something is bothering me. Sawada Nana, Natsu's mother, is happy and bubbly, but it somehow feels a little subdued._ _Very odd.' _

Leon crawled to the other side of his fedora. "Hm..Since Natsu is so average, maybe I should have someone test him? We'll see how he reacts in that type of situation."

_'I want to see you being something other than average.'_

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"Class, today we have a new student. He's from Italy, so please make him feel at home..." Smokin' Bomb Hayato started walking towards Natsu's desk, ignoring the teacher, who was desperately trying to make sense of the situation.

Gokudera stopped and slammed his hands down on the desk, ignoring Natsu's flinch. He leaned in and stared into the supposed Jyuudaime's eyes, not liking what he was seeing. There was no fire, no spark, no embers.

Gokudera flipped the desk over, all the while not breaking eye contact. Even when he did that, there was nothing. Only shock. _'Reborn was right.' _The boy thought as he stormed out of the classroom, _'Sawada Natsu is not mafia boss material.'_ And as he walked through the school, heading towards the gates, he was disgusted. _'If he doesn't want the position, someone else will. And he'll end up dead when they come to collect._'

As he exited the school, Gokudera bitterly asked himself if Sawada Natsu even cared about the Vongola, or even took the time to ask about it. _'Probably not, since he looked so confused when I flipped the desk.' _

Gokudera grit his teeth. The more he thought about it, the more angry it made him.

_'I'll never serve someone who doesn't care. Never.' _

A boy who desperately wished to be accepted did something very brave that day. He could have just taken the easy way out and served the boy who was to be a mafia boss. He could have just thrown dynamite sticks at him, knowing that the other would dodge them, and then he could have pledged loyalty. He could have told Reborn about what he thought, about what he'd seen in Sawada Natsu's eyes, but why would he when the baby probably already knew them?

No. Gokudera Hayato did none of these things. The boy who had been by himself for most of his life, who was lonely and just a little bit scared of his future, who had been aching to just be welcomed into the arms of a family, did something else. He defied himself and refused to serve someone he deemed unacceptable.

Even if he so badly wanted to cave in, wanted to go back and see if he would actually be accepted for who he was, he couldn't. He just couldn't.

If Sawada Natsu cared nothing for Vongola, then why would he care anything for his subordinates? If Sawada Natsu, a boy who wanted nothing to do with Vongola, became the boss, it would be chaos.

_'Until he comes and finds me, until his eyes are full of purpose, and until he actually accepts the role of Vongola Tenth, I'll be here.'_ Gokudera turned the door of his apartment and slipped inside. The lights were off, and everything was quiet. Smokin' Bomb Hayato went over to his couch and flopped down, staring at the ceiling.

Gokudera knew that even if that boy accepted the position of Tenth, it didn't guarantee that he would come back for him. He knew that, had expected it, even. So why did he feel so scared?

So scared that he would be left behind and forgotten?

Gokudera rolled over and instead focused his eyes on the floor.

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Reborn sighed, and pulled his fedora down. He hadn't expected Smokin' Bomb Hayato to be so willful. But more than ever, he was sure that Gokudera would make a fine guardian. Willful and fierce, he would protect someone with all he had, if they had his loyalty.

It would probably be a hard thing to acquire. Having been born into a mafia family, Gokudera knew how easily trust was discarded and ties were broken. Double crossings and power plays would be familiar to him. It wouldn't be easy, in fact, it would be very hard, but Reborn would make Natsu into the finest mafia boss Vongola ever had, and Gokudera would be his storm guardian.

Watching as Natsu ate lunch and chatted with his friends, Reborn knew that they had a long way to go. But he was Reborn, number one hitman, and he never backed down from a challenge.

Reborn smirked under his fedora, feeling sure that his student was going to be cursing his name after school today, when training would start.

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Natsu winced, his muscles aching. A glance towards Reborn confirmed that he was asleep. As he padded down the stairs to get a glass of water, his mind was thinking about Reborn and the words he had said earlier today.

"_You're next in line to inherit the title Vongola Tenth. I'm here to train you to be a mafia boss."_

As he looked out the window at the sky, he couldn't help but wonder if today had been a dream. It just all seemed too crazy to be true.

_'I wonder what life is going to be like now, with Reborn and transfer students, the mafia, guns, and hellish training. It's sure to be interesting. But I'm kind of worried. I know next to nothing about everything, and I'm supposed to be the boss of a mafia family! And I know that it's going to be dangerous. Argh, why did I have to be the boss!?' _

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As Natsu awoke to a gun pointed to his face and a threat to get to school in five minutes or else, a scream was heard, followed by hurried footsteps.

Reborn smirked, knowing that Sawada Natsu's training was just beginning.

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**(A/N): **I hope everyone enjoyed this chapter! Sorry, princess123897, I can't really make chapters longer, I just write them and they turn out how they want. I usually write really long chapters, but for this story, for some reason the chapters are usually about four pages long. So sorry to anyone who wants longer chapters. (I know how you feel, I'm the same way. I like long stories and long chapters.) And yeah, Gokudera is acting strange? I bet everyone was a little wierded out by how he acted. That's just my portrayal of him and how I write him. He's still basically the same, but he's a little different at the same time. Other characters will probably be a little different as well. I'm sorry if you don't like it, but that's just how I write them. Oh, and Preppy-Stealthy-Ninja, thank you for all the critiques! :D I don't really know how to fix the 'detached' writing style I write with, because it's how I've always written stuff. And yes, I know chapter two wasn't the best. I'm glad you still enjoyed it, though. The reason why everyone at the orphanage thinks he's strange is because of his quirks, and because he has no friends. He doesn't pay attention in class, they hardly ever saw him out of his room, he didn't talk much, and he never really did anything that the other children did. They saw him as something different, something abnormal, because he wasn't like them. I hope that answered your question. :) Thanks again to everyone who read, reviewed, followed, and favorited! It's such a shock to see how popular this story is getting! xD


	6. Sky's Dream

Gokudera had waited. And waited. And waited. And waited.

Still no one had come to his door yet.

It had been three months. And maybe he was selfish, but he didn't care anymore, because he was so tired of waiting. So tired of thinking that that boy maybe could have made a difference. And so very tired, in general.

So tired of pretending that anyone would actually want him. Well, that was fine. He had depended on himself for the majority of his life, he could keep doing it. He could.

If he could, then why did his traitorous heart feel so tight and erratic?

He clenched his fists and angrily fled his apartment, not knowing what he was going to do, or what was going to happen. But he did know that he was going back to Italy, where his home had once been. Where he had played piano, so long ago.

He knew he was being a coward by running. He knew it, but he was scared. Scared of what would happen to him, scared of what that boy was thinking about him, scared of waiting anymore, he was scared about a lot of things.

With his heart beating faster and faster, he turned his head and glared at the horizon.

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Tsuna had taken up sparring with everyone. He loved it, and was always eager to make a match last as long as he could. The Varia had been surprised at just how natural Tsuna was at combat, but that soon faded and they enjoyed their time spent with him.

Tsuna's greatest asset was his speed. He was superb at dodging and getting in close to deal damage. It was as if he were just a blur when he moved.

Tsuna always took full advantage of his speed whenever he pulled a prank or snuck food out of the kitchen late at night. Even though the Varia didn't exactly appreciate his pranks (and so far no one knew about the missing chocolate), their anger would fade whenever they saw Tsuna's face, which would be overjoyed at another successful prank. It was always hard to stay mad at Tsuna.

But when their anger did manage to stay, Tsuna's sly side would come out. A side that the Varia were now well acquainted with.

"Tsuna, VOIII!" A shout rang out, and even as footsteps were heard, Tsuna smirked, before changing his expression. _'I love doing this! It's so fun!' _

"Yes, Squalo?" Tsuna turned to the swordsman, who was glaring and had his hand closed around the hilt of his sword.

Tsuna stuck out his lower lip, fluttered his lashes and looked up demurely, meeting the other's gaze. "Was there anything you needed?" He clasped his hands together, bringing them up to rest at his chest.

Squalo's eyes widened, and he floundered for a moment, before regaining his composure. A faint pink blush could be seen blooming across his face. He coughed before stuttering out, "A-ah, well. Um, there was, something to, I...VOOI! Never mind!"

But before he could even attempt to escape, Tsuna came forward and wrapped his arms around Squalo's waist, and looked up slowly into his eyes. "I'm glad that nothing's wrong, _Squalo_." The last word was whispered in a husky tone, and Tsuna's caramel colored orbs never lost their hold on Squalo's.

Squalo's hands went to his nose, and he shot out of Tsuna's grasp, running off shouting his signature, "VOOOI!"

Tsuna laughed, loving what he could do to people. _'Diversion successful! Haha, but who knew that Squalo would get so worked up? That was hilarious!' _

After chuckling a bit more, he decided he might as well pay a visit to the King, who he hadn't yet seen that day. Besides, it was always fun to talk to the King. His reactions were always so funny.

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Xanxus knew he would be getting a visit from that sly little fox sooner or later. But oh, how he wished it had been later. He always got a headache whenever Tsuna visited him.

"King? What's wrong, are you alright?" Tsuna walked over and gave Xanxus a quick hug before dodging the fist that would have hit his face. "You looked like you needed a hug. Now you look much better!" Tsuna smiled, and Xanxus could just feel the sparkles and the flowers in the atmosphere. The brat always brought them with him, and the little nuisances cluttered up the room. They made his stomach twist.

"Trash! Get out!" And with that, Xanxus grabbed Tsuna by the collar of his shirt and threw him into the hallway, slamming his door closed once the boy was gone. _'Little fox brat. I never get a moment's peace with him around.' _

Xanxus's face twisted into a scowl, and he scoffed, rolling his red orbs. _'But it's not like I had any in the first place.' _

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The day wore on, and as night began to creep out, the Varia settled in for bed. But Tsuna was dreaming an unsettling dream. He tossed and turned, sweat rolling down his forehead.

In his dream, he saw a myriad of colors. Some blended together, and others swirled and twisted and went in circles.

Sometimes he saw a glimpse of a silhouette of a person. It was impossible to tell if they were female or male. And whenever he thought he was going to get closer to it, it vanished, and a whisper sounded in his ears, _"Yellow will come, and black will follow, unless blue decides to intervene." _The voice itself sounded genderless.

And at the end of the dream, all of the colors came together, and he felt like he was drowning in them. They swarmed his vision, and when it felt like he was going to go blind, he woke, bolting straight up. He panted, and his heart beat an unstable rhythm. His eyes strayed to his window, where he could see the night sky. Usually, the sight would reassure him, but he still felt on edge.

_'What was that dream? I feel so apprehensive about it...My heart is beating so fast.' _His hand moved over his heart, feeling it thumping against his skin. _'Something is going to happen. I feel it.'_

He wanted to go back to bed, but suddenly he noticed all the shadows in his room. They looked grim and menacing now. He didn't want to move, but he also didn't want to stay here, either. He shivered, feeling the hairs on his arm stand on end.

Caramel eyes darted to every corner of the room, making sure it was safe, before darting out into the hallway.

He knew it was childish to be afraid, and that nothing was there in his room, but he couldn't help it. Something about that dream had unnerved him. He nervously swallowed, trying to hurry. The hallway he was in looked particularly eerie for some reason.

It wasn't long before he reached his destination. He slowly turned the knob and peeked inside before continuing his way in. He stepped over all sorts of things to reach the bed, but he eventually got there.

"Bel?" He whispered, hoping the occupant of the room would wake up. When he didn't, he inched a little closer. "Bel? Are you awake?"

He was momentarily startled when Bel caught one of his arms, but relaxed when Bel slowly sat up and let go upon recognizing him.

"Volpacchiotto? Why are you in here, Ushishi?" Tsuna's honey eyes trailed down to inspect the floor, embarrassed at what he was about to ask.

"Um, I had a bad dream. And I couldn't go back to sleep. And I was wondering..." Tsuna went on, saying the next part in a hurried whisper, "I was wondering if you would read me a story, to help me sleep." He still hadn't lifted his head to see Bel's reaction, but was forced to when Belphegor gently tilted up his chin and searched his face.

"Ushishi, it just so happens that the prince is in the mood for reading, little fox. Count yourself lucky that you get to listen to the prince's awe-inspiring story telling voice." Bel grinned, pulling Tsuna down onto his bed while he got up to search for a book. He came back in a few minutes with a thick green one. It's pages were slightly faded and dogeared, which showed just how much it had been read.

Bel sat down beside Tsuna, and if Tsuna scooted a bit closer next to him, he didn't say anything.

"Ushishishi, Once upon a time..." And Bel entertained Tsuna with all sorts of short fairytales, full of dragons, mages, wizards, princesses, princes (and each time he came across one in a story, he would say that he made a much better one, and would criticize them for the rest of the story), and even Kings and peasants. He changed his voice to suit each one, and Tsuna would smile and try not to laugh at how ridiculous Bel sounded.

Eventually Tsuna drifted off to sleep somewhere in the middle of a story, leaning on Bel's shoulder as he slept. Bel just grinned and left the book someplace on the floor. He gently moved Tsuna off of him and layed him on one side of his bed. He took up the other, and was asleep in a few minutes.

When the Varia would barge in the next morning, all wanting to know just where Tsuna was, and why Bel was sleeping in so long today, they were all struck speechless.

Tsuna and Bel were tangled up in each other's limbs, and Tsuna's face was resting against Bel's chest, while the prince's body was snuggled up to Tsuna's.

"VOOI! What the hell!?" Squalo voiced everyone's thoughts perfectly.

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**(A/N): **Hoped you enjoyed! You know, the entire time I was writing this, my mom and my sister were sitting near me, and my mom kept bugging me to stop writing and watch Hunter x Hunter with her. (Why did I ever introduce anime to her?) XD It was funny. Anyway, thanks so much for everyone who read, reviewed, favorited, followed, or alerted! I really appreciate it! :) I wonder if anyone has any guess about Tsuna's dream, or why he's been having them? I'm interested in what everyone thinks.


	7. Sky's New Friend

Tsuna met Gokudera when he was getting groceries for dinner that night. He had been passing by when he saw a head of silver hair sitting all by its lonesome on a park bench.

Gokudera had looked so sad and bitter. He didn't know why exactly, but he disliked seeing the other like that. So he went over and plopped down on the bench next to him, his bags of ingredients fogotten.

For a while, they both just sat there, staring out at the park. Tsuna admired all the colors in the evening sky while Gokudera silently scoffed at the happy families beginning to leave.

But the silence couldn't really last, and finally Gokudera was the first to utter, "What are you doing here, bastard?" A glare had been shot in his direction, but Tsuna couldn't find any anger in the action. Even if there had been, he wouldn't really have taken offense.

"I'm just admiring the sky. Isn't it wonderful?" Appreciative caramel orbs once again welcomed the sight of the magnificent blend of colors above them.

A scoff was heard, before another pair of eyes gazed up at the sky. "No." Tsuna could detect the pain hidden in the word, lying underneath layers of anger, hopelessness, bitterness, and desperation. For some reason, it made Tsuna want to read Gokudera a fairy tale.

"But this sky is only one of the thousands in the world. So maybe if you don't like this one, you could go see others?" A soft, warm wind drifted by them, ruffling the leaves in the trees and brushing against their skin.

Gokudera sneered, and Tsuna was struck by just how much wrong it looked on the other's face. Tsuna didn't like that expression, and his heart constricted when it didn't leave. "I'll never find a sky I like."

His heart hurt even more when he heard that. "But what if you find a sky that likes you? One that would be sad to see you sad?"

Gokudera was caught off guard, and his body jerked slightly, his face frozen in its shock and disbelief.

Tsuna went on, his voice raising the more he said, "What if you found a sky that considers you important, and would never let you go, and would want you to be happy? What if you found a sky that hated to see you like this, that considered you to be family, that loved you?" Sometime when he was speaking, Tsuna had dragged Gokudera off the bench and heaved him up to face him, his fingers digging into the silver haired boy's shirt.

Gokudera still wore that shocked expression, but his mouth was moving now, as if he wanted to say something but just couldn't.

Tsuna stared into shocked eyes, not letting them escape. "What if you found a sky that couldn't bear to leave you?" A jolt went through Gokudera, and suddenly it was like he could move. But he didn't, because he was still trapped in an encounter with blazing honey orbs.

What Gokudera saw in Tsuna's eyes, he would never forget. There was a fierce intensity, but there was _so much _compassion, so much _understanding_ that Gokudera felt as if he could drown in it. There was frustration, there was anger, and there was irritation. He had never known that somebody could feel all three at the same time, but apparently Tsuna could. Gokudera also saw plenty of _pain_ and insecurities, but it was as if Tsuna didn't mind if anyone saw them. It was like he was actually _proud _to have them, which Gokudera couldn't understand. There was satisfaction, and a lot of pride, but most of it wasn't towards himself, which boggled Gokudera. And then Gokudera found an endless spiral of _kindness, happiness, _and _innocence_. They were such bright and positive emotions that Gokudera thought he might be blinded by them. But looking deeper, past that, Gokudera also found negatives to balance the positives out. There was the ability to cause pain, and the ability to lose oneself in their emotions, and also a natural _power_ and strength.

There was so much that could be found in Tsuna's endless pools of caramel and honey. Just as Gokudera felt he was going to be lost in them, he was pulled out.

Tsuna studied him, and maybe he found something, because he smiled, one that was so happy that Gokudera felt slightly tricked.

Tsuna grabbed the other boy's arm, and started pulling him along, stopping just to get his bags of groceries that had been left on the ground. Gokudera shouted, yelled, cursed, and tried to pull away, but Tsuna was still wearing that stupid smile of his that Gokudera was beginning to get tired of.

"Where are you taking me, crazy bastard!?" Tsuna's grip just wouldn't budge, and what Gokudera wouldn't give at that moment to light some dynamite and throw it at the psycho.

Tsuna just laughed, a sound that briefly stopped Gokudera from trying to escape and cursing the other out in various languages. "We're going home!"

And Gokudera was back at yelling, his face absolutely red, "Pazzo bastardo! What are you talking about!? And don't just invite random strangers into your house, idiot! Let me go!"

As Tsuna grinned and asked what he would like for dinner, Gokudera felt, once again, like he had been tricked.

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The Varia tried to make sense of Tsuna, and the crazy things he sometimes did, but it was a futile effort.

"Everyone! This is my new friend!" Tsuna grinned at them all, and everyone looked at the person he had just dragged in. They had all heard the curses and yelling...

"Crazy bastard! I'm not you're friend! And what did I tell you earlier? Don't invite strangers into your home!" The silver haired teen looked like he'd rather be anywhere but here. But he was rather amusing, the Varia all silently agreed.

Tsuna turned and smiled at the bomber, unknowingly making the other wince from it. "What's your name then?"

And before he could stop himself, he blurted it out, "Hayato! Gokudera Hayato!", like the idiot beside him. He knew he was going to come to regret it when Tsuna opened his mouth and exclaimed excitedly, "My name's Tsuna! Now we're not strangers anymore! We're friends!"

_'Friends...?' _Gokudera's mind traitorously thought, before he could stop it. Inwardly he cursed. Outwardly, he blushed pink and turned away from everyone.

Everyone strained their ears to catch what he mumbled out, "...Call me Hayato." Even as he tried to hide it, everyone saw the hopeful smile on his face.

But the imagine was soon ruined as he turned back around and scowled at everyone, looking like he didn't know if he should feel sorry for himself or go back to cursing Tsuna out.

"Oh, everyone! I got the groceries! Does spaghetti sound good?" Tsuna questioned, cutely tilting his head to the side.

Everyone voiced their agreement, even Hayato, who had rolled his eyes while saying, "It had better be damn good, crazy bastard."

So Tsuna made spaghetti, while Hayato watched and threw the occasional comment here or there.

"Idiot! Let me do it!"

"Crazy bastard, don't add that!"

But eventually dinner was ready, even though both Tsuna and Hayato had tomato sauce, garlic, cheese, and oddly enough, burnt marshmallows all over them. Hayato fit right in with the Varia, hurling insults and smirking whenever he ate a piece of garlic toast before Squalo could. Tsuna laughed whenever he made up a funny story on the spot, and the Varia all were amused when he flicked Tsuna's nose and those caramel colored eyes went cross eyed.

Soon enough, it was time for bed. Tsuna insisted on Hayato bunking with him, no matter how much the green eyed boy protested. Eventually he gave in, and they both settled in for sleep in Tsuna's bed.

Tsuna had just closed his eyes, prepared for dreams, when Hayato's voice quietly spoke up. "Thank you, Tsuna."

Tsuna opened his eyes and smiled towards him, even though Hayato's back was turned away from him.

A few minutes of silence were shared between them, before Tsuna said something, while looking through his bedroom window.

"Isn't the sky wonderful tonight?"

Hayato looked at it too, for once wishing he could run his fingers through all of those colors and stars.

He smiled, one that was amazing. And this time, he faced Tsuna, who was hit with happiness when he saw it.

"You know," Hayato whispered, awe struck, "This is the first time in my life I've ever really _seen_ the sky. But I think it's absolutely _beautiful_."

He and Hayato couldn't wipe the silly grins from their faces, even as they dreamed.

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**(A/N): **Ha ha, aren't Hayato and Tsuna adorable? XD I really enjoyed writing this chapter. It's just so fun to write Tsuna doing something absolutely crazy like this! Actually, the beginning of the chapter was inspired by the song Wonderful, by Everclear. It really helped me get into Gokudera's emotions. Anyway, I hope you enjoyed this chapter, and I just want to say a huge thank you to everyone who reviewed, favorited, followed, alerted, and read! :)


	8. Sky's Smiles

Tsuna loved playing hide and seek with Hayato. Of course, Hayato wasn't very good at hiding, but he always some how found Tsuna, no matter where the boy hid, and once he found him, Tsuna was tickled until tears were streaming down his face and he couldn't laugh any louder. Sometimes Tsuna found Hayato, and then the bomber was tackled with a hug.

Tsuna found that he liked it a lot when Hayato smiled, and that he'd do a lot just to see it. The bomber was smiling more and more every day he spent with the other boy, and little by little, he was healing. Even though it was going to take a while, he was on his way there.

Hayato had developed the habit of sleeping in Tsuna's room, and no where else. They could both be found tangled up in each other's limbs in the morning. Hayato always blushed pink, and stammered a bit, like he didn't know what to do with himself. Tsuna found that adorable and would grin at him, making him blush even more.

Whenever the Varia ate together, Hayato would steal something from Squalo's plate, or snatch up something the swordsman was reaching for. Squalo would fume, and sometimes be able to steal something from Hayato's plate. Then Hayato would just smirk and make it look as if Squalo had stolen food from Xanxus. Even though the Varia all knew what he'd done, Squalo didn't, so Xanxus liked to make a show out of threatening Squalo.

Tsuna also loved listening as Hayato made up stories for him. They tended to have mythology thrown in most of the time, and the caramel eyed boy had taken quite a liking to it. He would eagerly ask for a story at least three times a day, but Hayato never complained. Tsuna was a little afraid of him running out of stories, but so far he hadn't.

Hayato found a very close friend in Tsuna and his favorite thing to do was being with him. Somehow, Tsuna always made him smile, and brought out the best in him. He never wanted it to end, and whenever he looked at Tsuna, who was so innocent and bright, something in him clenched. He vowed to himself that he would protect that light that Tsuna had. He would protect Tsuna.

Hayato didn't know it, but Tsuna had long since promised to protect all of his friends, his family. Hayato had recently come to fit in that promise, and Tsuna was more than happy to have him.

The Varia headquarters now was filled with even more noise and squeals and laughter. Hayato had been something that was good for all of them. Bel had found another little brother, one who was just as cute as Tsuna (and as fun to tease). Xanxus occasionally would let a smile slip out whenever Tsuna would come visit him and talk about all the things they'd done that day. Mammon would always sigh in exasperation when he saw Tsuna and Hayato making messes and sometimes even pranking people, even though he would grudgingly admit to being amused if anyone asked. Squalo had found someone to tease mercilessly, and also someone who would tease back. Levi always scowled at them and said they were annoying, but he always did ruffle their hair whenever he passed them.

Hayato had brought even more liveliness into the lives of everyone.

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"Natsu, do you know what I should do?" Yamamoto, who he saw and talked to once in a while, had asked him this.

He didn't want to disappoint Yamamoto, but he didn't know him all that well and he didn't really know what to say, either. But he had tried his best. "Um, maybe you should take a break for a while and let your arm heal. I mean, once it does, you'll be back in top condition." Had that been the right thing to say? He really hoped so.

Even if it hadn't been, Yamamoto had smiled and thanked him for his advice.

A few days later, Yamamoto was back and his arm had healed. Natsu was glad, although he was slightly worried. Shouldn't Yamamoto wait a little longer, just in case his arm wasn't completely healed?

He was relieved when Yamamoto proved his worries wrong.

He had thought that that had been the last he'd see Yamamoto in a while, but he was surprised when he had been invited over to his house.

He had smiled and said he would love to. The smile he got in return stunned him. It had been very different from all the others Yamamoto wore.

As Natsu and Yamamoto made plans, they grew a little bit closer. Later, when they met up at Yamamoto's house, and Natsu was introduced to his father, Yamamoto took a chance. He decided that he was going to have Sawada Natsu as his friend. He wasn't sure why it had to be now, and not earlier, but he hoped that he wouldn't be disappointed.

Yamamoto slowly, slowly, was opening up.

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"Hayato, could you teach me piano?" Tsuna asked out of the blue, peering hopefully up at the bomber.

Hayato froze for a few seconds. His mouth opened a bit, before smiling. And even though that smile was sad and wistful, Tsuna still treasured it just as much as any other he had been gifted with.

"Sure. I...I'd like that, a lot."

Hayato's smiles were different when he played piano. Tsuna didn't mind. They were still beautiful.

Because his smiles were also different, whether when it was watching Hayato play, or when he was playing it. If Hayato noticed, he didn't say. But he did smile a bit more, and Tsuna liked to think he played a little more confidently, or stronger.

Tsuna genuinely liked playing piano, even if he did miss a note or pressed the wrong key a lot. It was very fun, even if he hurt his head a little trying to remember all the keys and where to put his fingers, or how to play a song. He liked it even more whenever he saw Hayato close his eyes and really _play_. It was like he was putting everything he was feeling and thought into it. Tsuna loved hearing Hayato play. It always made him want to close his eyes and fall asleep.

The Varia would stop and listen for a minute whenever they heard the piano playing. Whether it was Hayato or Tsuna, they all smiled or smirked before going back to what they were doing before, with music notes stuck in their head.

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This had been happening more and more often, they found.

:Hayato, here, catch!" A crash could be heard, as well as some kind of glass breaking. The Varia winced.

"Tsuna, no! No, don't do that! Wait, what is that!?" A bang, and a pan hitting something? Right now they were only guessing.

"Hahaha! This is perfect! Oh, we'll add this, too!" A shoe hitting the sink, and cabinet doors slamming closed? They didn't want to know by this point.

"Please don't, Tsuna!" Silence reined for a few seconds. "Argh, don't put that in! Hold on, don't use the knife for that!" Tsuna could be heard laughing, and was that Hayato hitting his forehead on the kitchen counter? The Varia looked at each other, debating whether to go in or not. They really didn't want to...

"Look, Hayato! If we just..do...this! Then it'll be even better, see?" Everyone could hear the grin in Tsuna's voice, right before...Hayato squeaked?

"Tsuna..." A sigh could be heard, as well as exasperated frustration. "Just...Just bring these out, okay? Here." A quiet snicker was heard right before Tsuna came bounding in, carrying a platter of garlic bread.

They all wanted some of that garlic bread, but still, they couldn't help but notice the curry powder and...was that _pineapple juice_?

Tsuna just smiled sweetly, and placed the platter down on the table, and before any of them could say anything, he was back in the kitchen.

"Tsuna, no, don't hug me right now! I'm stirring! Ah!" Hayato yelped, and another bang could be heard.

"Hayato, wait, why did you put that in? Hmm, I know, why not add these..." Tsuna started out loud, but got quieter as went along. The Varia all looked again at each other, before grabbing some garlic bread.

A clank and water were heard, along with a big splash. "Tsuna! Tsuna!" Hayato was growling, and Tsuna was giggling. They got more garlic bread.

"Okay, moving on...The sauce is done. Could you put something over it? Thank you." They were almost out of garlic bread. Bel and Squalo locked eyes, glaring, before grabbing as much bread as they could and eating it. Squalo got the last piece but Bel got the platter.

"No, no, Tsuna! Give me that!" There were sounds of a struggle, and something splattered against the kitchen walls.

"Hayato, Hayato, the noodles are done now! Here, I've got it!" They could hear Hayato protesting loudly, and then some sort of squelching noise?

Well, a few minutes later, Hayato came in with Tsuna, and they were both carrying big bowls full of noodles and sauce. They all noticed that the bomber had bits of avocado and cabbage on him, not to mention the ginger snaps sticking out of his hair.

"Dinner's ready!" Tsuna perkily exclaimed, and it wasn't long until Hayato was stealing Squalo's food, and Xanxus was wolfing down bowl after bowl of spaghetti, with Levi and Mammon seeing who could drink their beverages faster. Bel was telling something to Tsuna, and his hands were gesturing wildly, all while eating his food.

Just another regular dinner.

Dessert would be even more lively.

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_Omake: _

This had been happening more and more often, he found.

"King!" Tsuna would always come running, and then tackle him in a hug. But no, that wasn't the worst thing.

The little fox had the _nerve_ to say those disgusting words. "I love you!"

It made him sick, hearing those words.

...No, he wasn't blushing, you idiot.

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_Omake 2: _

This had been happening more and more often, Levi found.

"Hahaha, Levi, try it!" Tsuna would bring him something every day, whether it be a book, some pastry, or a drawing.

He scowled, and sighed, and said no, but that never deterred Tsuna. No, not Tsuna.

"If I drink it, would you want it then?"...What?

Before he could even think to form a reply, Tsuna had smirked, sauntered over, and kissed him.

He hadn't even tried to get out of it, and had been so confused, until he opened his mouth and felt the drink being transferred. Once he had swallowed it, Tsuna backed away, and smirked at him again.

"Well, how was it?"

He blushed a deep red, stuttered, and turned away, his hand covering his nose, before he managed to get something out. "It was good."

Tsuna had had to strain his ears, but he heard.

Everyone in headquarters could hear Tsuna laughing.

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**(A/N): **Sorry for this being a little late, but I hadn't been feeling all that good (I had been having headaches and having problems with my stomach), but I'm better now! :D Huzzah~. Hahaha, I had so much fun writing this chapter, especially the omakes...;D Thanks for reading, reviewing, favoriting, or alerting! It still amazes me how many people are enjoying this. Hope you enjoyed this!


	9. Sky's First Mission

After training more with both Tsuna and Hayato, the Varia felt that it was fine for them both to go on missions with them. They were about go on one, along with Bel and Mammon.

Xanxus had briefed them. They were sneaking into a rival family's base to get back some very important papers regarding the Vongola that were apparently stolen. They didn't know for sure, but it looked likely. It was a simple get in, get out kind of mission. Xanxus had said that there were about thirty men inside, so they knew what to expect.

Tsuna had been slightly surprised to see that Xanxus was completely serious during the briefing. Somehow he hadn't expected that. It was actually kind of weird to see him not yelling or throwing something (he hadn't stopped cursing).

Tsuna was both excited and nervous, Hayato was calm, Bel was grinning and laughing, and Mammon was counting his money.

Tsuna and Hayato had been given weapons, just in case. For Tsuna, he was given a small pistol that could be easily concealed and plenty of daggers. Hayato had also been given a gun, a revolver, and had chosen to carry around needles soaked with poison, in case of emergencies.

They also had emergency medical supplies to bring with them. Gauze, disinfectant, needles, thread, tweezers and pills.

They were ready to head out.

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Something was wrong. Something was very wrong. They had made it inside, after sneaking past the guards outside, but inside they hadn't seen even one person.

_RING! _

An alarm suddenly flared violently to life, and Tsuna was hit with panic. _'Dammit! What happened!?' _

They all went in different directions. Now that their cover was blown, there was no use in hiding.

Tsuna felt the adrenaline pumping through his veins, reminding him of all those times he would run after he had stolen something. It made him run even faster, wildly turning corners and taking turns in search of the papers. Tsuna almost didn't see the man to the left of him about to take his head off with a sword. Luckily he did, and he was two daggers short as they impeded themselves into the man's knees. He fell, clutching them, as Tsuna raced past.

Everything was going by so fast, and Tsuna lost count of all the men he had injured. He had made sure not to kill anyone, though. On and on he went, until he was out of knives and had to resort to his pistol.

'_I thought King had said there were only thirty? Then why are there so many? Just what is going on?' _

He was just reloading his pistol when he felt someone bump into him. He was about to shoot until he got a good look at the person. Pale skin, rags for clothes, skinny frame, visible wounds, long blue hair, and heterochromatic eyes.

Those eyes looked up at him and glared hatefully right before passing out. Tsuna caught him before he fell, although he wasn't sure if he should have.

Everything slowed down.

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Natsu sighed. Great. Now they had a crazy poison lady living with them. Who wanted to kill him. Another sigh fell from his lips.

Well, at least he had Yamamoto. A grin stretched across his face at the thought of his best friend. They had been walking to school and ate lunch together. Sometimes, they would go over to each other's house. They even played baseball together. He felt really happy to have such a good friend.

The smile fell from his lips as Reborn landed a kick to his head. He grunted and got up, scowling. "Why do you always do that, Reborn?"

Reborn just frowned at him, which was odd. Usually, he'd be smirking by now and telling him it was time to train…

"Baka-Natsu, did you forget about Smokin' Bomb Hayato?" His tutor's dark eyes were laced with disappointment, which he flinched at.

He clenched his fists, ashamed of himself. "Yes." Expecting another kick, he was shocked when it didn't come.

Instead, Reborn only asked of him, "Why?"

He frowned and sighed. That's what he wanted to know.

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He could vaguely hear the voices floating around him. One was sweet and worried, another bold and suspicious. Then there was what sounded oddly like some kind of laugh, one he'd never heard before, and also one that was loud and demanding, but also sharp and sure of itself. Still more, there was another that was annoyingly loud, like the other one, but also smooth and curious. Finally, he thought he heard two others. The first was untrusting and loyal, but also dedicated and a little soft. The second and last voice was a little hard to figure out. It sounded bored and uncaring, but underneath that it was persistent and possessive, along with kind and inquisitive.

He wondered where he was, because he doubted such wonderful voices could belong to scientists or the people who had captured him. So then where was he? He couldn't remember much, just recalling running and running endlessly, until suddenly the murky blackness that was unconsciousness rising up to claim him.

He didn't like the color black. He suddenly, desperately wanted to open his eyes, to see something other than the water closing in on him from all sides.

His body felt sluggish and slow even though he was panicking. It felt like he really was back in that vile water.

He heard one of the voices again. He thrashed.

Another voice washed over him. He held onto to it as if it were a lifesaver pulling him up, up out of the water.

The voices bled into each other until he could no longer tell which was which. He climbed and climbed and climbed towards the voices, and heard them getting clearer and clearer, more distinct, louder, less fuzzy, closer.

His eyes opened, and he felt as if he had finally reached the surface. He took in a breath.

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**(A/N): **I'm so sorry for taking so freaking long to update! Writing this was like pulling teeth, it just didn't want to be written. :( And I'm really sorry if this chapter sucks! I'm not good at writing action scenes or fights, but I try my best. Anyway, as hard as this was to write, I loved writing Mukuro at the end. I love how he compares being unconscious/asleep to drowning. (I'm horrible.) It was so fun to write, and my favorite part of this story so far! :D The next chapter isn't going to take nearly as long, so yeah. Hope you enjoyed!


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